This invention is directed to a lever handle for attaching to a rotatable drive rod, and more specifically to a lever handle disposed on the exterior of a recliner-type chair where the handle is used to control various features and mechanisms of the recliner chair.
Recliner chairs come in a variety of shapes and sizes. For example, some chairs have a rocking mechanism, some chairs have extendible footrests, while other chairs have seats and seat backs that move from a normal upright position to a reclined forward position. While a given recliner chair can possess any one or all of these features, almost all recliner chairs share in common the need to provide for a handle or lever by which the user can select and control various chair positions and mechanisms. The recliner handle, because it must be easily accessible by the user, is typically located along the lower lateral portion of the chair below the armrest.
In operation, the recliner handle has several constraints. First, the handle should be durable enough to sustain extended periods of use without breaking, bending or loosening. It is also desirable to have a single universal handle that could be mounted on the left side of chair for actuation by a left-handed person or could be mounted on the right side of the chair for actuation by a right-handed person without performing specialized manufacturing steps to the chair itself. Similarly, it is desirable that the handle be suitable for mounting on more than one style of chair for operation of its associated mechanisms. Finally, it is desirable that the handle be capable of being attached to a variety of chair mechanisms in a variety of orientations, without having to adhere to unduly restrictive manufacturing tolerances.